01 · the cities
Salinas
Salinas is the Salad Bowl of the World, where most of the country's leafy greens, strawberries, and broccoli come from. John Steinbeck grew up here and the National Steinbeck Center downtown is excellent. The Salinas Rodeo is a century-old summer event. The Monterey Bay is 20 minutes west, but the city itself is a working ag town with strong Mexican-American culture.
full dispatch→Olympia
Olympia is the Washington state capital, much smaller and chiller than Seattle. Evergreen State College gives it a hippie-anarchist energy (the riot grrrl music movement essentially started here, with Bikini Kill and Sleater-Kinney's name coming from a local road). The capitol dome is one of the tallest in the country. Puget Sound oysters are the regional star. Mossy, mellow, and underrated.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,813/mo
$1,991/mo
$822/mo less than Salinas (41%)
Median home price
Median home price
$862k
$533k
$329k less than Salinas
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,745/mo
$6,342/mo
Olympia has $1,597/mo more gross after rent at $100k
Gross left after rent reflects state income tax but not federal, based on $100k salary. Enter your salary to find your ideal city.
03 · the weather
Pleasant days/yr
Pleasant days/yr
335 days
182 days
153 fewer than Salinas
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
0 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
2 days
days below 20°F per year
Salinas edges ahead on pleasant days, but both cities have comparable comfort overall.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
71 / 100
80 / 100
9.0 pts ahead of Salinas
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
6 routes
90 routes
84 more direct routes than Salinas
Metro size
Metro size
431k metro
299k metro
the verdict
1
Salinas
categories won
6
Olympia
categories won
Olympia wins this comparison, leading on money and lifestyle.
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